13 Cool Team Building Activities in San Diego

There are so many reasons to love living in San Diego. From the delectable street tacos to the roughly 70-degree weather throughout much of the year and the abundance of unbeatable beaches. Being a resident of San Diego is a joy. Businesses that are located in or near San Diego are also super-lucky for similar reasons: when planning events, like shared team building activities in San Diego, there are a staggering number of fabulous options, both indoors and out.

If you’re looking for a private space to regroup with your team, then consider booking a Peerspace venue. We have hundreds of pristine, stylish, and inviting venues in San Diego alone. All are available by the hour and make it super easy to customize your very own team building event. In fact, we’ll share photos of real Peerspace venues in San Diego along with the activities below so you can see them for yourself! You’ll be amazed to learn of all the city has to offer as you scan our list of 13 top-notch team building activities in San Diego.

1. Plan your own event or workshop by booking a unique Peerspace

For those of you planning your own team building activities, finding the right location doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming: Peerspace makes it so simple. As the world’s largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, Peerspace unlocks unique spaces — from creative galleries to industrial lofts to houses with ocean views and beyond.

Check out the numerous spaces in San Diego suited to just about whatever team building event you’re hoping to plan:

• This creative multi-purpose event space in North Park (pictured above) with room for 30, a monitor, a conference table, a kitchen, and optional coffee service and breakout space
• This tropical oasis in the heart of Encanto, with space for 80 guests, turf, a paved walkway, string lights, and a covered area
• This gorgeous outdoor event space that’s part of a Barrio Logan brewery, with room for 115 people, homemade beers, A/V equipment, and optional catering
• This hill top historic mansion in Lakeside with room for 50 guests, indoor and outdoor space, plenty of seating, a kitchen, and parking
• This Gaslamp District art gallery with space for 350 and optional add-ons like high-speed Wi-Fi, food and beverage catering, A/V equipment, and art activities
• This beautiful outdoor oasis in La Mesa with room for 75 guests, a multi-tiered deck, heat lamps, a fire table, a TV, a six-person Jacuzzi, and a sound system

This is only a small fragment of the amazing spaces you can rent in San Diego through Peerspace. Not only that, but when you book a Peerspace, you get the full support of your venue’s friendly local host. They strive to make your experience at their spaces one to remember and can help you source any extras you need that don’t already come with the space.

2. Go skydiving indoors at iFly

One of the most exciting team building activities in San Diego: indoor skydiving! If you can incorporate actual flight into your group activity, you’re pretty much guaranteed to create a memorable experience that coworkers will talk about for weeks or months afterward. iFly accommodates both large and small groups and creates thrilling events that will bring your team together in a unique way. 

Our cool Instagram photo ideas in San Diego can introduce you to new venues practically in your own backyard. Check them out!

3. Solve the clues with Murder n’ Mayhem

There’s a killer on the loose. Can you and your team band together to stop this maniac in their tracks before you become the next victim? This is the challenge that Murder n’ Mayhem offers you and your team. Their team building exercise involves following clues through the Gaslamp District, helping you and your team think on your feet as you solve the case.

Murder n’ Mayhem also hosts crime tours and ghost tours, and throws mystery parties, if that’s more of your team’s speed. After catching the killer, hang out at this intimate bar in Hillcrest. It boasts a speakeasy-style entrance, fine dining, and delicious drinks, perfect for your post-sleuthing enjoyment.

4. Test your strength and team-working skills at UCSD Challenge Course

Connect and build camaraderie with a combination of climbing and ground-based activities that’ll involve working together and pushing your limits. The USCD Challenge Course website describes their activities best — it “provides customized adventure-based team building programs with a focus on leadership development and group dynamics.”

The programs are customized to suit your group’s needs, goals, and budget, so you can rest assured that you’ll all get a great deal out of the experience.

5. Create a scrumptious, multi-course meal with Cucina Migrante

Collaborative cooking is an ideal way to bond with teammates. It requires strong communication, effective teamwork, and equal sharing of responsibilities. All these factors and more make it a powerfully effective team building strategy.

Try one of Cucina Migrante’s team cooking classes, where you’ll create three meals from scratch using local and seasonal ingredients and even enjoy a wine tasting along with each dish. Otherwise, there’s also the option of a chef’s table and painting night, where you’ll partake in a four-course dinner and have a blast painting with the guidance of an instructor. Consider inviting the team to this private East Village lounge with a kitchen for a spacious and atmospheric setting ideal for cooking and dining.

6. Enjoy fun and games at Invasion Laser Tag

Fast-paced, playful activities like laser tag aren’t just a ton of fun (although, of course, that’s undeniably true). They’re also an ideal way to foster connection within a group of people. That’s why we strongly recommend a trip to Invasion Laser Tag as one of our top team building ideas in San Diego. Athletic groups that appreciate a little bit of friendly competition will love this activity.

7. Use your brain power at Brainy Actz Escape Rooms

Escape rooms are a natural choice for a team building event because achieving their shared goal necessitates lots of critical thinking, effective dialogue, and clever cooperation. Brainy Actz offers some of San Diego’s best escape rooms, incorporating a variety of themes: Mystery at the Lost Point Lodge, the Lost Jungle Safari, and the Great Carnival Challenge. They’re highly rated, having received TripAdvisor’s 2017 Certificate of Excellence and near-perfect reviews on Yelp.

8. Play rewarding games with AdVenture Games Inc.

AdVenture Games Inc. offers you and your team a range of immersive experiences that promote teamwork. For instance, they offer geolocation scavenger hunts, summer camp-like experiences, escape room activities, reality show competitions, and more. You can also choose in-person or virtual experiences since AdVenture Games offers both types of team building activities in San Diego. This is one of our favorite options for teams looking for a modern twist on the classic team building experience.

9. Compete in a boat race with Pacifica Sailing Charters

Pacifica Sailing Charters Team Challenge is a three-hour sailing regatta that allows groups of six sailors per yacht to learn about sailing, then apply their new skills with a sailing race against other teams. Teamwork is crucial as each group, fueled by the thrill of competition, attempts to win the race! And if you’ve got a larger team, there are also larger boats that can accommodate them. Your options are pretty extensive with Pacifica.

10. Absorb breathtaking sights with La Jolla Kayak

Another water-based team building idea in San Diego: kayaking! Nature lovers will especially appreciate a team building tour with La Jolla Kayak, during which they’ll get to explore the famous coastal caves of La Jolla by kayak, witnessing the diverse marine life populating the area. Working together with teammates to paddle their kayaks, your group will leave with a greater appreciation for both nature and for their relationships with one another!

After your kayak adventure, head to this modern event space with skyline views in downtown SD for dinner, drinks, and fun.

Check out these fun office party ideas for when you and your crew head back to the workspace!

11. Paint the town — and your colleagues — at Velocity Paintball

Looking for a more structured team building experience? You’ll enjoy the variety of paintball games offered by Velocity Paintball as part of their team building exercises. They’re one of the best paintball locations in the area. For instance, they use low-impact paintballs, which are easier to dodge and shoot and less painful when you get hit. 

12. Experience the city from a different POV with San Diego Sky Tours

This San Diego team building idea is one of the greatest ways to get perspective, period: literally seeing the world from an aerial perspective. San Diego Sky Tours hosts sky tours, as well as combat activities for a more challenging experience. Either way, your employees aren’t likely to forget a trip as exciting as this one!

13. Activate the creative side of your brain with Painting & Vino

The day-to-day work of many offices involves lots of left-brain thinking — logical, linear, and methodical. But creativity is so important to innovating and making real progress in the workplace. That’s why taking a break to use your right brain — the creative side of your brain — is such a valuable use of time.

To achieve this, try bringing your team together for a night of painting at Painting & Vino. They can also accommodate larger groups, too, and even have online events. That way, you can paint and sip with the help of virtual instructors from the comfort of your Peerspace venue!

Team building activities in San Diego are better with Peerspace

As you can see, there are tons of exceptional team building activities available to your team in San Diego. And whether you want to engage in these activities on-site and then head to private Peerspace after to regroup or go virtual from a Peerspace, the option is yours. Either way, you’ll enjoy a sensational day with your team away from the office.

Plus, when you book a Peerspace, you can maximize your booking with the help of your venue’s host. These dedicated folks can also help you source any extras you need, like gourmet catering, A/V equipment, bar staff, etc. It’s a surefire way to help you focus on the task at hand — bonding your team!

Find a unique event space in San Diego on Peerspace